By Sant Kumar Sharma
Jammu, October 13: Several G-20 leaders (not all) held a virtual meeting on Tuesday to discuss the humanitarian crisis that seems to be brewing in Afghanistan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among those who spoke on the occasion about the evolving situation. China and Russia decided to remain away from these discussions though they could have participated in the deliberations if they wanted to.
The European Union (EU) made a pledge to give 1 billion Euros to the beleaguered Afghanistan. The European Union (EU) on Tuesday pledged a one billion euro aid package for Afghanistan “to avert a major humanitarian and socio-economic collapse”, the bloc’s chief Ursula von der Leyen said. She made the pledge at the virtual summit hosted by Italy at which humanitarian and security situation in Afghanistan were discussed.
She made it clear that the funds from EU were direct support for ordinary Afghans. These would be channelled to international organisations working on the ground, and not given to the Taliban’s interim government which the EU, or for that matter, no country in the world recognises as yet. Even Pakistan, which had played a role in propping up Taliban through its notorious intelligence agency ISI (Inter Services Intelligence), does not recognise the Taliban government.
Incidentally, Pakistan was euphoric after the Taliban had swept into Kabul on August 15, and portrayed it as a great success of its diplomacy. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had used laudatory words for the Taliban and sought recognition for their government. Its Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has toured several countries urging the hosts to recognise the Taliban government, with zero success.
In the virtual meeting called by Italy, Modi said that humanitarian aid should reach ordinary Afghan citizens in an unhindered manner and reminded others that India had completed 500+, mostly developmental projects in Afghanistan. He also alluded to India’s historical relationship dating back several centuries with the people of Afghanistan. He stressed that the international community should keep a close watch and the Afghan territory should not become a source of terrorism.
In another meeting in Doha (Qatar), some leaders of the Taliban argued that over $9 billion of Afghanistan’s assets, held in US banks, should be unfrozen. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi also said that their government should be formally recognised soon. He argued that there was no reason to deny them recognition any longer. But hardly anyone from the European leaders who were there at Doha paid any heed to Muttaqi.
What emerged from these meetings is a clear indication that while engaging with the Taliban leadership is being considered okay, nobody seems to be thinking of recognising them. Not as yet at least. This leaves Afghanistan hurtling unimpeded towards what could turn out to be a very difficult winter. Really difficult for ordinary Afghans who are already battling shortages of food, fuel and other essential goods.
A very large number of Afghan employees have gone without salaries for a couple of months by now. Administratively, this could prove to be disastrous for the Taliban if it stretches any longer and governance will become more difficult for them. With its own economy in a shambles, Pakistan is in no position to give anything substantial or meaningful in aid to Afghanistan. All it seems capable of doing at present is make appeals to the international community to help the Afghans.
If truth be told, the Pakistan economy is doddering and with US aid and grants cut off for now, it too is likely to face increasing difficulties in the coming months. Some Pakistani experts, mainly former civil servants, have been arguing that “Islamabad has no rationale for delaying the inevitable (recognition of a Taliban government)’’. The argument is that it shares a long border with Afghanistan, hosts a large number of Afghan refugees, and the families of several Taliban leaders live on its soil. They also say that “delaying recognition could create many unwarranted suspicions in Kabul’’.
Will Pakistan then jettison its hesitancy and become the first nation to recognise the Taliban government? During 1996-2001 stint in power, the Taliban were every bit a surrogate child of the ISI, and Pakistan was one of the three nations giving them recognition. Things are very different this time and it is no easy task to recognise the interim Taliban government even for Pakistan.
